


Open Arms

by RichieHozier



Category: IT (2017), IT (2019), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cussing, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, High School, M/M, Mutual Pining, Reddie, Teen Romance, richie is kind of a dick but then again when isn't he
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2020-12-28 04:30:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21130694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RichieHozier/pseuds/RichieHozier
Summary: Richie and Eddie try to navigate their quickly evolving friendship.





	1. Zig or Zag?

“Eds, get a move on, will ya?”

Richie’s eyes are wild behind his glasses, flicking between the walls of tall crop beside him. His red converse are sinking further into the fresh mud with each stomp, dirtying the cuffs of his rolled up jeans. He’ll worry about that later. He searches for any indication, any break in the walls, that would signal some teenager dressed as the Dollar General version of Jason Vorhees was lurking unseen.

“Fuck off. You dragged me into this filthy fucking maze. I could be at Bill’s with the rest of them right now.” Eddie huffs, his breath making small puffs of white clouds. Richie throws a glance back at him and shortens his stride until Eddie falls into step with him. Sometimes he forgets his legs are longer. Eddie shivers next to him, so Richie throws a sinewy arm around his shoulders.

“Don’t be precious, Edward. It’s just a little mud. Lighten up.” Richie smirks. He glances down at his friend out of the corners of his eyes. He isn’t shivering anymore, but Richie isn’t inclined to move his arm just yet. Maybe he still needs him. Eddie shrugs out of his hold dramatically.

“You know what, you can be a real asshat sometimes.” He remarks without any bite.

“Sometimes? Well I have to step up my efforts then.” Richie says with a shit-eating smile as he now walks in front of Eddie, his back to the path ahead of them.

“I have to step up my efforts then.” Eddie mocks in a nasally voice. “I’m Richie and I’m God’s gift to comedy-OW!!” Eddie yelps as Richie gives him a purple nurple, laughing before turning and taking off down the path.

Richie feels Eddie nipping at his heels as he runs. He takes a sudden and disorienting left turn. He zigs right next, then zags around another left corner, cackling. He runs until he can’t hear Eddie’s shaky breaths and curses behind him anymore. He stops to catch his own breath, finally looking around. For a haunted maze, it left a lot to be desired in the haunts department. After what he and his friends had been through, Richie wasn’t afraid of anything. Well, maybe one thing. He walks slowly, listening for Eddie. He hears rustling in the corn next to him on his left…his right?

“Eds?” He calls out. The air is still around him, silent, save for his own heavy breath that was fogging up his glasses. His steps come faster now. What if Eddie had gotten lost and is having an asthma attack? What if he tripped and fell in the mud and had a panic attack? What if Jason Vorhees popped out at him and had literally scared Eddie shitless?

“Eddie!” Richie shouts louder, anxiety growing in his chest, inflating like a red balloon. The all too familiar feeling. He comes to the fork in the road where he zigged. Or did he zag? “Fuck.” He mutters, squeezing his eyes shut, fighting the nausea. Eddie was right, like always. They shouldn’t have come here. He could be holed up in Bill’s garage with the rest of them, sneaking cigarettes with Bev and knocking knees with Eddie on purpose. He just had to be greedy and steal a date idea overheard in the halls the Thursday prior. Now Eddie’s probably hurt, the dumbass, and-

“RICHIE!!” A deep shout booms behind him and an icy hand grabs Richie’s wrist tightly. Richie whirls around, his heart in his throat, only to find Eddie. He’s laughing his ass off. Richie snatches his wrist away.

“Fuck you.” He hisses.

“You wish you could.” Eddie retorts, wiping tears from his eyes.

“Why would I wanna nail you when I’m already nailing your mom every night?”

“Good one, Tozier. Write that one down.”

“By the way, I didn’t know your balls finally dropped, Spaghetti, good for you!”

“Fuck off.”

“Dude, you’d probably actually die without me.”

Eddie laughs, finally, and the tension in Richie’s jaw releases. He slings his arm back around Eddie’s shoulders, pulling him close, and that’s the end of that. Eddie was okay, and they were back to normal. They walk back to Richie’s van together, weaving their way through the tall corn. It was comfortably quiet between them. Richie almost liked it better this way.

————————————————-

“Hey! Watch the fuck out, shit-for-brains!” Eddie cries out as Richie flops onto the already crowded couch in Bill’s garage. After a few disgruntled mutters from Ben and Bev, and a spirited box out attempt from Eddie, he finally wedges his slim hips between Eddie and the arm of the couch. “You’re lucky you have the body mass of a 9 year old.” He spits as Richie settles into his spot, warm and comfy next to him. He pulls the giant blanket that Ben, Bev, and Eddie are sharing across his lap too. Mike and Bill share a love seat and a blanket across from them, and Stan left early, not one for scary movies. Beverly flicks open her pack of Camels and offers the open box to Richie. Somehow, she always knew when he needed one most. Richie takes one and gets a light from her, taking a deep inhale and letting the sting of the smoke in his lungs soothe him after his evening at the pumpkin patch. He felt like an idiot, now, of course. Freaking out over Eddie. Freaking out over nothing. He exhales and gets an exaggerated cough from Eddie on his right.

“You would do this right next to me. You know I have asthma, you asshole, you just blew the smoke right in my damn face.” Eddie shifts himself as far as he can away from Richie, mumbling to himself.

“Hey Eddie? Shut the fuck up. The movie’s starting.” Richie sneers.

“Go to hell, Trashmouth.”

“Aww. Meet you down there, sweetheart.” Richie shoots back as he gives a short tug on Eddie’s earlobe, making the color rise to his cheeks. Ben shushes them both as the movie starts, and Richie flips off Eddie, whose eyes roll so hard they almost fall back into his head.

The title card flashes on the screen after the opening credits: Candyman. Richie keeps his cigarette dangling from his fingertips on the other side of the arm of the couch, trying to keep the smoke away from Eddie so that he’ll rest back into his side, and to his relief, he does. When he looks back over, Ben and Bev are cuddling, almost asleep, and Eddie‘s thick brows are knit together in worry, like they always are. He’s probably thinking about some stupid statistic about how many people die from secondhand smoke a year. A small smile teases the corners of Richie’s lips. That’s his Eds. Richie’s eyes drift down to Eddie’s scowling mouth, and licks his own lips subconsciously. He didn’t put any chapstick on today, he remembers suddenly. He blinks the thought away. Not like it mattered.

“Why are you staring at me, creep?” Eddie asks, his voice softer than his words. Richie stiffens, finally out of his own head.

“You had something on your face.” He says hastily. Fuck. FUCK. He knows.

“What?”

“This.” Thinking fast and stupid, he takes a drag of his cigarette and blows the smoke right in Eddie’s face, which immediately turns red with rage. Too far.

“Richie what the fuck, man?!” Eddie coughs and pushes Richie out of his way in his struggle to untangle himself from the group. He finally stands.

“I’m fucking leaving. You’re being an asshole tonight.”

“Eddie, I’ll drive you.” Bev says, now fully awake and trying to diffuse the situation. It’s a role she’s settled in to over the last couple of months. She stops the VCR.

“No, Bev. I’m sorry. I’m sorry guys, but I can’t stand to be around him right now.” Eddie points a finger at Richie. “I’ll just walk.”

“Eds, it’s freezing.” Richie adds, standing, moving towards Eddie “Look, I’m sor-“

“Fuck off, Tozier! I mean it!” Eddie steps back. “I’m going the fuck home so I don’t have to look at your smug ugly face until I’m forced to at school.” He says, his hands balled up at his sides. “And stop staring at me all the fucking time! It’s gross!”

Richie gulps, hard. He hadn’t known that Eddie had been noticing him all this time. Embarrassment warms his cheeks. He looks around the room to find all his friends are staring back at him. Shame rises in his throat like a flood in a basement. His jaw sets.

“Whatever, go cry to your fucking mom about it, Eddie. I’m sure she’ll be happy to have her pussy son back home under her ‘careful watch’. Oh, and next time you’re on your period, let me know and I’ll bring you a tampon.” Richie doubles down, winning. He always wins in fights like these, and he always feels sick afterwards. He turns away and stomps back to the couch and hears the slam of Bill’s side garage door. He angrily puts his cigarette out in Bev’s Coke can.

“Play the fucking movie.”


	2. The Wager

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie sneaks in to Eddie’s room, and a perhaps more than friendly wager is placed.

Eddie lays on his bed, the din of his mother’s television drowning out his thoughts and lulling him into a sense of security as he tries to make out patterns in his popcorn ceiling. He’s missing something, though, has for the couple weeks he’s been icing Richie out. Now, it’s almost break, and he’s been invited to Mike’s for Thanksgiving, along with everyone else. He figures it’s time to let him off the hook. He answers the phone that’s been ringing non-stop in his bedroom since two Saturdays ago.

“Kaspbrak residence, this is Edward speaking.”

“Eddie!” He could practically hear Richie’s body sag in relief. “What the fuck, I’ve been calling you for DAYS.”

He is lays back down on his bed, a smile forming on his lips. Richie need him as much as he needs Richie, and it was good to know for certain. “Yeah, well, I was pissed at you, Rich.” Eddie says quietly.

“I really am so sorry. I wasn’t even thinking. Really.” Richie pleads. 

“I know. But I had to make you sweat.” Eddie grins.

“You enjoy watching me suffer, don’t you?” Richie’s finally catching on.

“No! Well...yes. I really was mad at you, but I got over it quick enough. I gotta say, you were starting to look a little desperate. My mom almost turned my phone off, you were ringin’ it so much. Miss me that bad, huh?”

“Edward I will come over there and kick your tiny ass.” Richie retorts.

“I’d like to see you try, Tozier. You’re not back in my good graces yet.”

“Don’t threaten me with a good time now. You know I don’t make promises I can’t keep.” Eddie can hear Richie’s signature smirk. He feels his cheeks heat up as the conversation begins to lace with innuendo, as it usually does whenever they’re speaking alone. As soon as Eddie thinks he has the upper hand, Richie always finds a way to gain the high ground.

“My ass isn’t that tiny.” Eddie says suddenly, changing the subject. “I’ve been working out. I’ve gained like at least ten pounds of muscle.”

“You haven’t gained jack shit!” Richie snorts.

“Bullshit.”

“Bullshit! You’re still five-foot-nothing and you probably weigh 130 pounds soaking wet!”

“I bet you I could throw you like I used to.” Eddie gets up and studies himself in the mirror, phone cord unraveled behind him. He definitely has filled out a bit, around his thighs and in his shoulders and chest, but that could easily be puberty as well.

“Ever consider the fact that I used to let you win?”

“Ever consider my foot up your ass?”

“Care to place a wager?” Richie says mischievously.

“Fine! Twenty bucks says I can throw you. Name the time and place.” 

“I’ll come over tonight. Leave your window unlocked.” Richie‘s been sneaking in to Eddie’s room since they were 12, since It happened. It started off with them sharing comics and talking about everything and anything, but Eddie remembers the times when he woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat after a nightmare only to find Richie in the bed beside him, stroking his hair and tethering him back to reality. Richie was his lifeboat. Still is. He counts himself lucky that his mom is a very heavy sleeper. Probably because of all the pills she takes. Eddie tip-toes around the frame of his door and looks downstairs. His mother is dead asleep in her chair.

“Don’t forget your wallet, trashmouth.”

———————————————————

The wood of the window creaks as Richie shimmies it up and open, causing Eddie to leap up. He sees his spindly friend fold his too-tall body awkwardly through the gap that used to seem so big when they were younger.

“Fuck. Sorry.” Richie whispers after knocking over Eddie’s desk lamp with a rogue foot as he tries to navigate over the desk. Once his feet are planted firmly on the ground, Eddie pounces. 

Their bodies hit the ground with a thud and Richie is snickering. Eddie tries to pin his arm behind his back with concerted effort, their legs tangling. He grunts.

“Are you trying to get caught?” Richie smiles, not really making much of an attempt to keep Eddie at bay.

“Fuck off, bird nose.” Eddie strains, pulling his arm back further. Richie laughs a little louder.

“Thought the sneak attack would work, huh?” Richie easily flips Eddie onto his back. “We’ve been at this now for ten years, doll. I know all of your moves.” Eddie stares up at Richie, with his dark curls hanging down around his face. Eddie knows each and every freckle across the bridge of his nose, his dark eyes inviting and comforting. Eddie slowly props himself up on his elbows, leaning up to Richie. He takes off Richie’s glasses and sets them aside gently, closing the still shrinking gap between them. He feels Richie’s quick breath and pounding heart, and he sees the look of recognition in his eyes the split second before he bucks Richie off of him and tosses him across the floor. Richie shoots up, recovering quickly.

“Not all my moves.” Eddie grins, triumphant.

“Not fair.” Richie says flatly.

“Fuck you, pay me.” Eddie taunts. He closes the space between him and Richie and starts digging around in Richie’s pockets for his wallet.

“Stop, you prick. You know that was a dirty move.” Richie shoves Eddie’s hands away.

“Know what was a dirty move? Where’s your wallet, you cheapskate?”

“Eddie.” The way Richie says his name makes him stop in his tracks. He looks up at Richie, and now it was his heart’s turn to pound. His eyes flit from Richie’s eyes to his lips. No. Unclean. And it would ruin everything. Eddie lets go and takes a small step away.

“Yeah.” He nods, not able to meet Richie’s eyes. “Still threw you, though. I expect a crisp twenty on my desk first thing Monday morning.” When Eddie finally looks at Richie again, his expression is stoic. A pause that feels like an eternity passes.

“Yeah, okay kid.” Richie says, the softness returning to his face, but different than before.

——————————————————

“No fucking way.” Eddie faces Richie in the darkness. His twin sized bed is too small for the both of them now, but they make it work.

“Look you don’t have to believe me. I’m just saying that I heard it after gym.” Richie grins easily, a yawn sneaking out. Eddie can’t tell if he’s bullshitting.

“There is no way Ms. Hudson would do that in the middle of the school day, Richie Tall Tales Tozier.” 

Richie laughs at that one, and Eddie feels euphoric. It‘s hard to make Richie laugh, but he always seems to get one or two out of him. 

“Tall Tales Tozier. Hm. I’ll have to sit on that one for a bit.” 

“You don’t get to decide your own nicknames, dipshit.” Eddie asserts as he sits up to grab a drink of his water. When he lays back down, he finds Richie’s arm draped across his pillow. Eddie lays anyway, liking the feeling of being tethered to his tether. 

They talk for what seems to be the whole night like that, laughing and sharing secrets and inside jokes. When Eddie finally looks over at his alarm clock, he reads “4:03 AM” through bleary eyes.

“Go to sleep Eds.” Richie says gently, sweeping Eddie’s hair off his forehead. “I’ll be here when you wake up. Promise.” 

Eddie lets his eyes shut. He knows how Richie is about his promises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your kudos :’)


	3. Star-Gazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie and Eddie talk about the future.

Richie gazes over at Eddie, sleeping tucked into his side. He is hypnotized by every single portion of him. The rise and fall of his chest, the absolutely blank expression on his usually worry-fraught face. The way the sun streaming through the window hits his wavy hair, bringing out the golden undertones. He reaches out to hook his pinky around Eddie’s gently, and places a feather-light kiss against his temple. He looks at their hands, Eddie’s still a little dark from a summer spent in the sunshine, Richie’s perpetually pale. He wishes hard for it to stay like this forever: perfect, still, together with him. Richie would die for any one of his friends, but he’d burn for Eddie. A deep sadness swells in his chest as Eddie stirs, and Richie carefully unhooks their fingers.

“Your pits stink, Richie.” Eddie smiles a watery smile at him, stretching his body out.

“You’re no morning glory yourself, kid. They should call _you_ trashmouth.” __

_ __ _

_ __ _

Eddie laughs freely, knowing his mom’s at church and they had the house to themselves. Richie sits up, rubbing his sore eyes and putting his glasses on. He stretches, too, and his bones crack as he stands to pull his pants on. When he turns, he finds Eddie staring at him.

“See something you like, Eds?” He smirks. Please say yes.

“Just wondering why your bones are cracking like you’re 75.” Eddie quickly looks away.

Richie smiles lazily. “Well I’m not fourteen anymore and your bed isn’t exactly made for two, ding dong.”

“Sorry Casa Kaspbrak is no longer to your liking.” 

“Nah, it’s perfect.” Richie shakes his head. “Its got you.” Richie savors the rise he gets out of Eddie when he flirts with him. He holds on to these moments of hope like a kid gripping onto monkey bars. The floor is lava.

“Don’t be gettin’ all sentimental on me now.” Eddie mumbles.

“Too late.” Richie shrugs matter of factly. He pulls on his dirty shoes and ties them in swift motions.

“Where are you going?” Eddie sits up. “Let me get dressed real quick.”

“I was just gunna head to the pharmacy for my mom on my way home.” 

“Here,” Eddie stands in his white Calvin Klein boxer briefs. “Just give me five and I’ll come with you.” He tugs a shirt on. “Then we can go over and see Bill and go do something for the day.” He’s desperate to leave. Richie knows.

“Slow down, Marky Mark. I wasn’t going to leave without you.” Richie laughs, snapping the band of Eddie’s underwear against his hip.

“Hey! Real nice. These are actually incredibly supportive. You could learn a thing or two.” He jumps into his pants and tosses Richie his deodorant. “And seriously Rich. Mix in a shower.”

—————————————————

Richie’s thumbs tap against his steering wheel in time with the steady drums of the new Nirvana cassette. In this music, he found a place to channel his feelings of frustration and rage. After all, his favorite phrase is “fuck you”, and no one says fuck you more than Nirvana. He looks over at Eddie, who is reading American Psycho quietly in the passenger seat, feet planted on the dash. They had gone swimming at the quarry earlier with Bill and Stan, and Richie could tell Eddie was tired. Eddie doesn’t look up until Richie puts his car in park. Richie sees the relief wash over his face as he realizes he isn’t home.

“What are we doing, Rich?” Eddie asks, dog-earring his page and closing his book. Richie turns the car off and unbuckles.

“C’mon.” He says as he hops out of the van. Eddie quickly follows suit. Richie scans the vast emptiness of the field they are parked in, the only noise coming from the wind winding it’s way through the tall grass, the only light coming from the moon above them. He opens his back doors and rifles through the contents of his van.

“Finally come out here to put me out of my misery, huh?” Eddie remarks, swaying on his heels a little with nervous energy. They’re all alone.

“Hold this, Lennie.” Richie hands him a pile of blankets and shuts the back doors. He climbs up the ladder on the side of his van before reaching down and taking the blanket from Eddie. He spreads it carefully on top of the roof as Eddie climbs the ladder himself. They lay on their backs and gaze up at the stars.

“Must be a million of em.” Eddie whispers after a few moments pass.

“Yeah. Ever think about how the whole world gets to see em? They’re not just Derry’s.” 

“Makes you kinda feel like a piece of shit.” 

Richie laughs shortly. “Really? Why?”

“Dunno. Just...feels like a stupid fucking town like Derry doesn’t deserve them.”

Richie thinks on that. “Well...yeah. But I think some people here do. Like Bev. Stan. Basically all of our friends.” Richie clears his throat. “You.”

“Shut up.” Eddie rolls his eyes. 

“Beautiful people should have beautiful things in their lives.” Riche’s voice is barely above a whisper. “You deserve the stars, Eds.”

Eddie looks over at Richie, which starts his blood pumping. “What do you think you’re gunna be doing 23 years from now?” Eddie asks quietly. Tension fills the air between them as they remember.

“Fucking your mom.” Richie breaks the anxiety between them.

“Alright dillhole. I’ll go fuck myself.” Eddie grumbles, turning away.

“No! No. Okay.” Richie laughs and grabs Eddie’s shoulder, pulling him back to face him. “Okay, well, definitely I’ll be out of this nightmare town.” He decides. “That’s step one.” Richie chews on his lower lip, mulling it over. “Okay, so realistically or my dream scenario?” He asks.

“Realistically, what do you think your life will be like?” Richie nods, not knowing if he’d be ready to share his dream scenario with Eddie yet.

“Well I’ll probably be in California. Or Chicago or something.”

“Why?”

“Well if I want to put my gift of saying stupid shit to work for me, I have to move to a place where they’ll pay me for it, right? I’ll probably be living in some shitty apartment, maybe with a little cat or dog.” 

Eddie nods slowly. “And a wife?”

Richie sucks in a breath and tries to play it cool. “Ahhh...I don’t really see that in the cards for me.” Richie studies Eddie’s face in the moonlight for any sort of reaction.

“Why not?” Eddie stares up at the stars.

“I mean come on...do you really see me settling down with some broad for the rest of my life?”

“I just want you to be happy, Richie.”

“That’s not what would make me happy.”

“Then what would?” Eddie asks as he finally looks over at him, unreadable. Richie could close the gap between their lips in two seconds flat. That would shut his nosy ass up. The thought makes Richie’s hands tremble, and he blinks hard. 

“Being alone.” He says, finally. The walls are coming back up. “I think it suits me.” Eddie shakes his head and looks back up at the sky. “Well what about you, genius? You got it all figured out?”

“I probably won’t ever leave.” Eddie says blandly.

“What the fuck? Why?” Richie props his head on his hand, leaning on his elbow.

“I just can’t leave. This is all I’ve ever known. No matter how shitty.” Eddie sounds like he has a frog in his throat. “The only people who care about me are here. Even if the only one who stays around is my mom.”

“Hey...” Richie says softly. He reaches over and strokes Eddie’s grown-out hair away from his forehead. “You will have people who care for you wherever you go, Eddie. You’re abso-fucking-lutely lovable.”

“Yeah well it doesn’t feel like it.” Eddie sits up to crack his neck and stretch it, bumping Richie’s hand away. Richie sits up next to him to grab their other blanket as the wind kicks up. “It feels like I’ll be stuck in this hell hole until I fucking rot, or something.”

“I won’t let that happen.” Richie sounds serious. “You are so much more than your life here.” 

When Eddie lays back down, his head is met with Richie’s balled up flannel as a makeshift pillow for him. It smells like Richie: leather and cigarette smoke. Eddie inhales deeply, surrendering.


	4. Never Have I Ever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Losers Club learn more about each other after sharing Thanksgiving dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t believe this is the last part of this bb series! I appreciate all the love you shown it! I will go down with this ship, and I want to write for them more, so if you have any feedback/constructive criticism, I would love to hear it! Thanks so much again!

“OHHH the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is SO delightful!” Richie sings jovially, his flask sloshing around in his hand wildly. His friends are all gathered in Mike’s living room, and they bust up laughing, except for Mike who’s trying to get the damn fire started.

“Not funny, smart ass.” Mike grumbles, trying to light his third firestarter.

“He’s just drunk.” Eddie cracks a smile. “Besides, it’s a little funny.”

They’re all full of friendship and food. It truly was the perfect Thanksgiving, and Mike’s family had a feast for the ages. The fire finally goes up in a huge plume in the chimney , knocking Mike back on his ass, which only makes everyone laugh harder and cheer for the new fire. Everyone is flushed, from booze or laughter or both. It’s the happiest they’ve been in a long while as a group. Eddie looks over at Richie, his long body draped over an entire sofa, his cheeks pink. He shouldn’t need to take up a whole entire couch to himself. Eddie walks over and moves his feet, placing them on the ground so he can sit. Richie just kicks them back up onto his lap, shooting him an easy, lopsided smile. 

“Hey, can you pass this to Bev?” Richie hands him the small flask he smuggled from home. Eddie rolls his eyes and takes it from him when he offers it, sipping it before passing it to Beverly. He makes a disgusted face.

“Christ Richie, is this gasoline?” Eddie feels the warmth spreading through his chest as the golden liquid makes its way down.

“Oh, I’m sorry! Do you need me to call your mom to come pick you up?” Richie widens his eyes innocently.

“Fuck you.” Eddie snatches back the flask from Bev and takes a full gulp this time. Everyone gapes at him. He sucks in a breath and burps, causing everyone to laugh again.

“Alright, Eddie!!” Stan whoops. Eddie flips Richie off. Richie just grabs his finger and winks at him, and Eddie curses himself for giving him his way again. Jingle Bell Rock starts playing on the record player, and Bill rejoins the group.

“Looks like Richie’s not the only one in the Christmas spirit.” Mike smiles at Bill broadly, bumping his hip and putting an arm around him.

“Guys it’s not even December 1st.” Beverly groans. “We haven’t even digested our food yet.”

Ben grabs the flask from Eddie again. “Drink. You’ll feel holly jolly in no time.” 

“For you? Fine.” Bev sits on his lap and kisses his cheek. 

“So let’s play never have I ever.” Stan suggests. Everyone groans. “What? Anyone have any better ideas?”

“We could play charades.” Eddie suggests. He’s really good at charades.

“Yeah, we could also play princess tea time when we’re done!” Stan snorts.

Eddie feels the heat rising to his cheeks, temper flaring. Richie squeezes Eddie’s hand once, causing him to look over. Richie shakes his head. Eddie supposes he’s right. He’s been working on picking his battles.

“Fine. We’ll play never have I ever.” Eddie relinquishes. 

“I’m so going to lose this game.” Bev says. “You Derry boys are so white bread.” 

“Don’t be so sure, sister.” Richie asserts.

“I’ll s-s-start.” Bill offers. “N-never have I ever g-gotten through a whole sentence.” He grins and everyone laughs. Bill is truly the best. “P-put your fingers up.”

“Hm. Okay, never have I ever smoked a cigarette.” Mike states. Bev, Richie, and Ben all put fingers up.

“Really Ben?” Bill is shocked.

“I just wanted to see what Bev was always making a fuss about.” He shrugs. “I don’t do it anymore.”

“Never have I ever had a foreskin.” Stan says immediately, causing an uproar. “Too far?” He smirks. “Fine. Never have I ever bit ice cream.” Richie, Ben, and Mike put their fingers up, the absolute psychopaths.

“You should have stuck with your original one, coward.” Richie challenges, which earns him a sock to the shoulder. He winces. Eddie realizes he still only has only the obligatory finger up from Bill. He feels like a baby.

Richie feigns thoughtfulness on his turn. _”Never have I ever fucked Eddie Kaspbrak’s mom.”_ Richie says in a tiny voice out of the corner of his mouth. “Oh, who said that? Cheeky. Oh well. Guess I have to put a finger up.” He says in his normal voice, putting a finger up. Everyone laughs and Eddie sees Richie’s eyes darting around the room for validation.__

_ _“Dude you are right in dick punching range. I will literally punch your dick off.” Eddie pinches behind Richie’s knee, causing him to yelp._ _

_ _“No don’t! I still have plans for my dick!” He shouts, earning a laugh out of Eddie too this time._ _

_ _“Still your turn.” Bev reminds him, trying to move the game along._ _

_ _“Okay never have I ever wet my pants in the second grade and try to blame it on my friend’s dog, Eddie.” Richie says pointedly. The laughs break out again, and Eddie nails him in the thigh._ _

_ _“You said you’d never tell anyone that!!” He exclaims and turns bright red._ _

_ _“And I didn’t tell just ANYONE. I told EVERYONE!” He cackles._ _

_ _“You know what? Never have I ever had my first kiss!” Eddie shouts. At least Richie will look dumb as hell when everyone puts their fingers up but him and-_ _

_ _Richie puts his finger up. _ _

_ _Eddie’s cheeks burn. “Stop lying.” He demands. _ _

_ _“Sorry Eds, I tell you a lot of things. But not everything.” Richie shrugs, taking another sip from his flask, which has made it all the way back around._ _

_ _Eddie doesn’t want to play anymore._ _

_ ________________________________________ _

_ _ **Oh, the weather outside is frightful...******__

** **** **

****

_ _ _ _Eddie and Richie sit together on the couch in the empty parlor, accompanied only by the still spinning record player. The night has drawn to a close, the flask run dry. Ben and Bev left together about a half hour ago, and Mike, Stan, and Bill went upstairs to get ready for bed shortly after._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _“Hey, you were singin this earlier.” Eddie smiles._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _“Yeah, and I was singin it better.” Richie laughs.  
“Are you staying the night?” He yawns, still sprawled across Eddie’s lap._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _“Nah, I don’t think so.” Eddie remarks softly, gazing at Richie in the soft golden glow of the firelight._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _“Why not?”_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _“I didn’t drink that much. ‘Sides I live like ten minutes from here.” Eddie can’t meet his eyes._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _“Hey are you okay? You’ve been kinda weird tonight.” Richie grabs his hand, and Eddie feels electric._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _“Oh, yeah. I’m totally fine.” He shrugs. “Just a little sleepy.”_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _“Then stay.” Richie laces his fingers through Eddie’s. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ **The fire is slowly dying...******____

** **** **

** **** **

_ _ _ _ _ _Eddie takes his hand away, gently. “No, I really do gotta go. My mom will be worried.”_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Richie sighs, then nods. “Okay Eds.”_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“I just have a question.” Eddie says quickly._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“Fire away.”_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“Who was your first kiss?” Eddie can barely get the words out. He looks at Richie, whose gaze softens on Eddie._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“Eddie, I was lying.” He says, sitting up. “I just...I don’t know I didn’t wanna look lame in front of everyone.”_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“So you let me look lame all by myself?”_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“That’s not what I meant to do.” Richie stares at Eddie, who feels like his heart is going to burst out of his chest. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“I know, Rich. I just...I wanted to know if...” He shakes his head. “Well I guess it doesn’t matter.” He decides, shifting Richie’s legs off his lap as he stands. “Anyway I’ll call you tomorrow-“_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Eddie feels Richie’s hand grab his wrist. “Hold on.” He says softly and stands._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ **And my dear, we’re still good-bye-ing...******______

** **** **

** **** **

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“It matters.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Not really.” Eddie shrugs, looking anywhere but Richie, who is standing before him now, hair a mess and all cozy in his gray sweater._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sorry for lying.” Richie murmurs, his hand still around his wrist, tethering Eddie._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I’m not upset because you lied.” Eddie gulps harshly, summoning every ounce of courage in his 5’8 frame. “I just...when you said that...all I could think was, like, I wish he woulda waited for me.” Eddie studies the floorboards because they’re suddenly the most interesting thing in the world before feeling Richie’s hand under his chin, guiding him gently upward to meet his eyes. They’re watery, but Richie is beaming. He cups Eddie’s face in both of his hands now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Oh, Eds. You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for you.” He whispers fervently._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ **But as long as you love me so...******________

** **** **

** **** **

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Richie closes the distance between them finally, leaning down to press his lips against Eddie’s. Eddie pulls him closer by the shoulders, looping his arms around his neck. Eddie is soaring out of his body, looking down at a kid who never felt like he was worthy enough, and his best friend, who has been trying to make him see himself the way he has seen him for the last 15 years. For the first time in his life, he feels truly loved._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> Hello yes hi this is my very first fic and I hope you like it! There will be four parts to this lil fic, and I’ll try to post a part every other day. I'm still trying to figure out the formatting, sorry if it's a bit wonky! Thanks for reading!


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